ABSTRACT
The immense Romanesque abbey of Cluny in southern Burgundy, a symbol of medieval monasticism at its greatest breadth and power, was closed after the French Revolution, divided into four lots and auctioned for parts in 1798 (Figure 11.1).1 The winning bidders were businessmen from the departmental seat, Mâcon, a city less than fifteen miles southeast of Cluny. Demolition on the site continued until 1822, when a deal was signed between the national government and the town of Cluny to use the remaining stone from the east end of the church in order to build a national stable for the stallions of the Republican army.
